Building Strong Writers: Authentic and Purposeful Writing Experiences for All Students, Grades 1-6

1. Building Strong Writers: Authentic and Purposeful Writing Experiences for All Students, Grades 1-6 School Development Institute, Summer 2008 Mary Hogan Elementary School Team

2. Mary Hogan Elementary School Development Team2008 Deb DeVaney, 5/6 teacher Vickie Greenhouse, 3/4 teacher Laura King, Literacy Lead Teacher Phyllis Laliberte, 5/6 teacher Elizabeth Moeykens, 1/2 teacher Sarah Niebuhr, 5/6 Learning Specialist Kathy Purcell, 3/4 Learning Specialist

3. Given our test scores, we wanted our students to improve their writing skills. We asked…“How can we effectively improve our writing instruction and positively impact student learning?”

4. WE WILL… • Implement key components of John Collins Writing Method. • Create seven element lesson plans for students, grades 1-6. • Accommodate/differentiate to meet needs of diverse learners. • Collect samples of student work. • Develop materials that support the management of writing instruction. • Manage group website. • Design a presentation for colleagues. We Can… *Form a collaborative vertical writing team. *Agree on core beliefs and essential questions about writing. *Explore new instructional strategies. *Collaboratively design a project that embodies our beliefs and investigates our essential questions. *Implement the project in our classrooms. *Examine and discuss resulting student work. *Reflect on our discoveries about writing and writing instruction. *Share our work with others.

5. Our Core Beliefs E Everyone has things to say and deserves to be heard. Writing is a critical life skill used in a variety of contexts, supports learning and understanding, and should occur daily. Writing is a social form of communication. Everyone is capable of writing, can become a better writer, and feel pride in their writing effort. High Engagement and motivation positively impact writing.

6. Our Essential Questions Why is it important to be a strong writer? What does strong writing look like? What skills do students need to be strong writers? How do we teach all students to be strong writers? How do we motivate students to write and view themselves as writers?

7. Project Resources Resources from Collins Education Associates were primary resources for this project. We accessed additional resources that supported both our core beliefs and project development. SCHOOL, SU, & STATE RESOURCES STANDARDS-BASED WRITING

8. Key Elements of the John Collins Writing Method Summarized from Collins education Associate Materials

9. FIVE TYPES OF WRITING TYPE ONE—limited by time/ quantity; brainstorming, listing; writing as thinking. Graded for completion. Happens daily! TYPE TWO—short answer/“shows what you know.” Graded for completion and content accuracy. Happens often. TYPE THREE—focuses on both content & writing craft; three specific skills are assessed. Read out loud by student (1 foot voice), and reviewed by teacher. First draft--happens frequently. TYPE FOUR—revised piece; peers give feedback; 2nd draft. TYPE FIVE—requires many drafts & motivation; ends with a published piece. 1 4 2 5 3 Description Adapted from John Collins Writing Program materials

10. Student Work • Type One Writing builds fluency. It is thinking on paper. Given five minutes, this first grader wrote three things she knew about dragonflies. I know they have compound eyes and four wings. They swim under water when they are babies. They can beat their wings 100 times.

11. Student Work With Type Two Writing, students show what they know about content in a given amount of time. Students’ work is graded based on content. (Grade Five)

12. Student Work(Responses to Karen Hesse’sJust Juice) 5/6 Learning Specialist incorporates Type 1, 2, and 3 writing assignments into reading comprehension lessons. “They are learning to use writing to help them organize their thinking. I am using Type 1 and 2 daily.”

13. Focus Correction Areas for Emergent Writers Materials provided by Jerry Morris of Collins Education Associates

14. Student Work Type Three Writing looks at content and writing craft. This first grader knew that his dragonfly piece needed three picture details with one label, a sentence with a capital & period, and spaces between words.

15. Focus Correction Areasfor Primary and Elementary

16. Student Work Framing Your Thoughts is a writing mechanics program published by Learning Circle. This unit test includes a Type Three task that asks student to write (1) three barebones sentences (simple subject/ Predicate with capitals/ periods), (2) sequence a camping trip description, and (3) vary the subjects. The campers had a scavenger hunt. The scouts build a fire. The kids roast marshallows.

17. Student Work This third grade Type Three writing piece fulfilled FCA assessment requirements: Topic sentence showing position on bear hunting, three or more reasons for their position, and correct capitalization.

18. Sharing Your Voice! “I think hunting bears with dogs is not fair.” “Bears could come to bird feeders if there are too many bears and they would run out of food.” “I think bear hunting should be allowed but they should lower the number of permits.”

19. Student Work Sixth graders completed a Type 3 summary of Time for Kids article entitled “All Aboard.” This article described a fall expedition of teens to the poles led by explorer Mike Horn. There were 3 focus correction areas: (1) Five sentence summary, (2) Correct sentence punctuation/capitalization, and (3) Correct spelling of content words from the article.

20. Student Work This student–made Bear Fact Game is an example of a Type Four Writing Piece. Student teams composed questions and answers for their game, then exchanged games and tested out each others’ questions.

21. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick revealed! Chris Van Allsburg’s classic book of intriguing leads motivates 5th graders to craft mysterious stories. These Type Three pieces will become Type Four after peer conferences and revision.

22. Student Work This grade one sample shows differentiation at work. Since this student is more advanced, she wrote more than one sentence about her topic. The FCAs were adjusted for her.

23. Student Work This grade one student was successful with two of the three focus correction areas: (1) Three picture details and (2) writing a sentence with capital and period. The student needs to work on the third FCA—spaces between words. Limiting an assignment to three FCAs makes it easier to assess student’s progress and areas where growth is needed. “Butterflies are tiny.”

24. Motivation Matters! We must create a writing environment where students know the purpose for writing and get support with authentic writing forms. Students also need frequent opportunities to share their voice with an attentive and responsive audience. These conditions enhance student motivation. Motivated writers value writing and are more focused on both learning tasks and skill expectations.

25. Seven Element Assignment 1. Summary and Rationale 2. Writer's Purpose(s): Give a reason for writing 3. Writer's Role: Writer’s stance or point of view 4. Audience: Who will be reading the writing 5. Form: Letter, report, poster, essay, poem, etc. 6. Three Focus Correction Areas 7. Procedure—sequence of lesson 8. Optional FCAs: to accommodate or challenge When you finish… * Read your report out loud in a one-foot voice. Check for any confusing parts. * Edit your FCAs following your teacher's directions. * Option if going on to Type Four: Have a partner read your paper out loud to you. Get feedback on your FCAs. Write a second draft with all your improvements. From Improving Student Performance Through Writing and Thinking Across the Curriculum, John Collins, 2008, p. 59.

26. Seven Element Lesson • Second Grade • Assignment Summary: Write a letter explaining why your teacher would be a good president. • Purpose: to persuade. • Writer’s role: Candidate supporter • Audience: peers/ community • Form: Letter • FCAs: Include… (1) 1 Detail from book (2) 3 Sentences (3) Picture of teacher • Procedure: After listening to the Kay Winters’ story, think of your own teacher and write a letter in support of his/her presidency! “”She is really good at signing important papers. She cares about me and my classmates. She makes you work.”

27. Best Value ASSIGNMENTS The Collins Program describes essential and highly recommended assignments that should be done regularly by students— 1. The 10% Summary 2. Vocabulary Cards 3. Comparison/Contrast 4. Persuasive Essay 5. Autobiographical sketch (of a classmate) 6. Class log 7. Create a test 8. Study Guide 9. End of Unit Reflection 10. It’s a Must! (Evaluate best activities in a unit) 11.Letter to Next Year’s Teacher FCAs: Capitals, end punctuation, 3 paragraphs Note—This is written in first person like an autobiography, but it was written by another classmate who first conducted an interview.

28. Collection/Record of Student Writing Writing assignments are numbered and recorded in a student folder. Pieces can be used as models or revised further. The collection also shows student growth over time.

29. Discoveries & Conclusions All students need writing assignments that encourage thinking, fluency, and focused skill practice. Purposeful writing assignments that encourage student “voice” enhance motivation and support skill development. Celebrating student learning creates a positive teaching/learning environment. While finding time is the challenge, the voluntary nature of this initiative creates positive energy. Collins’ framework Interfaces well with other instructional tools, GLEs, and a curricula. Reading writing out loud is a critical step in revision. Vertical teaming encourages more consistent instructional design, K-6.

30. Next Steps… Complete Team meeting presentations and follow up on teacher interest. Attend John Collins conference with colleagues (Dec 1). Continue monthly meetings with SDI team. Plan summer work on writing, using a vertical team model. Create Seven element assignments and type 1, 2, 3 templates for binder. Suggest using Collins-like essential assignments for writing evidence (ACSU). Look at student writing/ scores…does this work make a positive impact? Continue updating SDI website for MH teachers. mhteachers.pbwiki.com

31. One writes to make a home for oneself, on paper, in time, in others’ minds. -- Alfred Kazin